as if made of milky glass. Behind the columns there
was still a trickle of water.

To get a better view of the sight, Jack swept the rays of the flashlight
first to one side and then to the other. As he did this he caught a
glimpse of a pair of gleaming eyes from the brushwood and snow behind
the spring. The eyes looked full of curiosity and fright.

"Look, look, Spouter!" he cried, and then dropped the flashlight into
his overcoat pocket.

"What is it?"

"I just saw the eyes of some wild animal back there. See! There they are
now!"

As Jack spoke he raised his gun and blazed away. This shot was followed
by one from Spouter.

The reports were followed almost immediately by a snarl and a whining
cry, and they heard some animal thrashing around wildly in the bushes
behind the spring, sending the loose snow flying in all directions.

"We hit it, whatever it is," announced Jack.

"What do you suppose it can be?" questioned Spouter quickly. "It wasn't
a deer, was it?"

"I don't think so, Spouter. It was too low down for that. Maybe it was a
fox, although it didn't sound like it."

"Perhaps there are brook mink around this spring."

"Maybe."

"Are you going back there to find out?" went on Spouter, for the sounds
in the brushwood had now ceased.

"Sure, I'm going back there! You don't suppose I'm going to let any game
get away from us!"

"Be careful, Jack. That animal may be playing possum, you know, and may
spring out at you."

"Don't worry; I'll be on my guard," answered Jack.

He had slipped another charge into his gun, and Spouter quickly did
likewise. Then, with their weapons ready for use and with the flashlight
held so that it cast its rays ahead, they cautiously moved around to one
side of the frozen spring and made their way in the direction of the
bushes and rocks in the rear.

"Hello there! what are you shooting at?" The cry came from where the
pair had left the boxsled. It was Gif who was calling.

"We don't know yet," answered Jack.

"We saw a pair of eyes, and we shot at them," added Spouter.

"Gee! what do you know about that?" exclaimed Fred. "Hunting before we
even reach the Lodge!"

"Let's go ahead and see what they struck," came from Randy.

"That's the talk!" added his twin.

Gif was willing, and in a moment more the four lads had scrambled down
from the boxsled and were making their way along the road leading to the
spring. By this time Jack and Spouter had advanced through